New NEA Guidelines Limit 10 LED Funeral Wreaths For Wakes
Debates have recently emerged on the use of LED wreaths after several funeral parlours in Singapore banned them, citing safety concerns.
S’pore Funeral Parlours Ban Usage Of Electronic Wreaths Due To Fire Safety Concerns
In response, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Association of Funeral Directors Singapore (AFD) jointly developed a set of guidelines governing the use of electronic wreaths.
They officially released these guidelines on Tuesday (7 Jun).
Under the new rules, only 10 LED wreaths, inclusive of one inflatable structure, are allowed at wakes.
The LED wreaths also cannot be turned on from 10pm to 7am daily.
New guidelines on placement of LED wreaths
In the guidelines, NEA and AFD stated that the excessive use of light-emitting wreaths and inflatables has resulted in several problems:
- Light and noise pollution
- Obstruction to pedestrian traffic
- Obstruction of motorists’ line of sight
- Potential power trips
- Tripping/falling hazards
Source: LEDWreaths.sg on Facebook
As such, they have drawn up guidelines so premise owners and the funeral industry will know the exact conditions to follow when operating light-emitting wreaths and inflatables at wakes.
For placement of LED wreaths, the guidelines state that only 10 LED wreaths (inclusive of one inflatable structure) are allowed at any wake. The wreaths must not be taller than 2.6m and wider than 1.5m.
Inflatables such as tower lanterns, gates and arches, meanwhile, must not be longer than 4m, wider than 1m, or taller than 3.2m.
Besides ensuring that these structures are secure, operators must also cordon off a minimum 2m radius around the installation.
Source: LEDWreaths.sg on Facebook
Additionally, LED wreaths can only be placed at the funeral wake areas – namely void decks and pavilions – subject to the approval of town councils and the authorities.
NEA and AFD advise against placing LED wreaths and inflatables near these places for the safety of motorists and pedestrians:
- Carparks
- Roads
- Walkways
- Business entities
- Residences
Should placement at walkways and pavements be unavoidable, there must be a clear demarcation and at least 1.5m of space to accommodate wheelchair users.
A 5m clearance is also necessary from any of the following:
- Carpark
- Parked vehicle
- Road location
- Fire hydrant or fire safety provisions
Turn off LED wreaths from 10pm-7am daily
In light of noise and light pollution complaints, NEA and AFD have imposed ‘curfews’. From 10pm to 7am daily, LED wreath and inflatable setups must cease, and any lights and pumps turned off.
Source: LEDWreaths.sg on Facebook
Their generators in turn should not be too close to residential or business units or in a hazardous location to avoid inconveniencing and endangering others.
You may read the guidelines here for a more detailed breakdown.
If operators need to deviate from the above guidelines for any reason, they must obtain written permission from town councils or the relevant authorities.
MS News has reached out to NEA for clarification on how they determine light pollution according to the brightness of the wreaths and inflatables. We will update the article when they get back to us.
Safety is paramount
While the guidelines may seem like a lot to take in, the authorities have likely introduced them with everyone’s welfare and convenience in mind.
Hopefully, now that the rules are clear, funeral operators will know what to do moving forward.
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Featured image adapted from Singapore LED Wreath on Facebook.
